Let’s face it, none of us would want to be Trayvon Martin’s friend Rachel Jeantel in the last couple of days. Much of the country is laughing at the “ghetto” black girl who keeps getting tripped up in her story. But Jeantel has made a lot more sense than it may have seemed.

Yes, she was dissimulating in pretending that Trayvon Martin’s referring to Zimmerman as a “creepy-ass cracker” wasn’t “racial”—of course it was. Cracker is today’s “honkey,” a word now about as antique as The Jeffersons in which George used it so much. It is both descriptive and pejorative, although it’s important to note that according to Jeantel, Martin was not calling Zimmerman a cracker to his face but when trying to give his friend on the phone an update on the situation.

The origins of the word in reference to persons as opposed to snacks is obscure, but most likely started when cracking could mean bragging in Elizabethan English. Upper-crust colonial Americans had a way of referring to lower-class British immigrants to the South as loud-mouthed “crackers,” as in boastful beyond their proper station.

Pretty soon the word just referred to the people, period, with elegant Central Park architect Frederick Law Olmsted even casually writing in 1850 after a Florida jaunt that “some crackers owned a good many Negroes.”

Jeantel may well have heard some whites in Florida using the word for themselves with a kind of in-group pride – just as black people use the N-word that way. But surely she knows that’s a different meaning, just as anyone who claims it’s okay for Paula Deen to have used the N-word because Jay-Z does is faking it.

The important thing is that it made perfect sense for Martin to use that word to describe a white man chasing him for no reason. Few fully understand that the tension between young black men and the police (and by extension, security guards, traffic cops and just about any sort of watchman) is the main thing keeping America from getting past race. If ten years went by without a story like the Martin case we’d be in a very different country.

There are several possible reasons why Jeantel feigned on whether calling someone a cracker was racially-motivated. It could be because she wants to protect her dead friend. It could be because she’s extremely uncomfortable. Much of her irritable reticence is predictable of someone of modest education reacting to an unfamiliar type of interrogation on the witness stand. As natural as many educated people find direct questions, they are culturally rather unusual worldwide, an artifice of educational procedure. In oral cultures – i.e. most cultures— direct questions are processed as abrupt and confrontational. In that, Jeantel is operating at a clear disadvantage.

Yet one problem Jeantel is not having is with English itself. Many are seeing her as speaking under some kind of influence from the Haitian Creole that is her mother’s tongue, but that language has played the same role in her life that Yiddish did in George Gershwin’s – her English is perfect.

It’s just that it’s Black English, which has rules as complex as the mainstream English of William F. Buckley. They’re just different rules. If she says to the defense lawyer interrogating her “I had told you” instead of “I told you” it’s not because it’s Haitian—black people around the country use what is called the preterite “had,” which I always heard my Philadelphia cousins using when I was a kid.

If you think Black English is primitive, here’s a test – is it “I ain’t be listening that much” or “I don’t be listening that much”? It’s don’t, and Jeantel and millions of other black people nationwide could tell immediately that using “ain’t” in that sentence is “off.”

This was what defense attorney Don West failed to understand yesterday when he asked Jeantel:

“Are you claiming in any way that you don’t understand English?”

“I don’t understand you, I do understand English,” said Jeantel.

“When someone speaks to you in English, do you believe you have any difficulty understanding it because it wasn’t your first language?” asked West.

“I understand English really well,” said Jeantel.

She understands it as well as West or anyone. So now who’s the dumb one?

John McWhorter is an associate professor of English and comparative literature at Columbia University and the author of What Language Is (and What It Isn't and What It Could Be). The views expressed are solely his own.

John McWhorter is the author of several books, including What Language Is (and What It Isn't and What It Could Be).

He sees Trayvon's body begin to convulse and assumes he's going to live. Then, becoming afraid, he [according to him and him alone] spreads the young man's arms out so he can make sure he doesn't have a weapon stashed somewhere. http://i-bukmacherzy.com/unibet-promocje/

Here's what happened...Trayvon Martin was visiting his father and soon to be stepmother because he'd been suspended for getting into trouble at school. His dad and fiance had already made plans to go out that evening but warned trayvon to be careful and to stay at home because there were some robberies in the neighborhood. Later that evening, Trayvon, likely bored to tears, begged his farther for permission to just go to the store to get hinmself an iced tea and his future brother a bag of skittles. Keep in mind he WAS grounded.

Zimmerman saw the hooded figure walking lackadaisically through the rain, and, not recognizing him, formed an opinion in his mind based on what he'd experienced from other situations having nothing to do with this new person. He assumed and called authorities.

Trayvon, in the meantime, not really paying attention was busy talking to Rachel Jeantel on his cell phone, and wearing earbuds, possibly giving Zimmerman the impression he was talking to himself, and looking up every once in a while to reset his bearing. Remember, he's grounded; so, he's going to drag out any time outside that he can, cause when he's home, that's it, he's home. Store and Back, that's what his father said. A decision I have no doubt he'll regret for the rest of his life.

What is the precise diagnosis for someone in the state of having inconsistent thoughts, beliefs, or attitudes, esp. as relating to behavioral decisions and attitude changes where what they want to believe is inconsistant with all evidence to the contrary?

@brothergrimace He was in the rain, which Floridians know will pass, and they don't go out. He was dodging in and out of homes. He had gone to the store for Skittles and a soft drink, [two of three ingredients for Lean/PurpleDrank so he could get loaded when this "parents" were out.] [ ]=this is the only information here not given in testimony.

RJ didn't call him back after her second call, because he had been in fights before, and had walked away. [Her guilt is that she didn't realize how much trouble he would have in that fight], and didn't know he was dead until the next day. [Then TM's parents, their attorney, and Al Sharpton threw her under the bus to start a protest that would lead to] a trial she didn't want to be in anyway. The only people showing her respect were white, like Anderson Cooper in his interview and the radio host who offered her tutoring and college.

Zimmerman, frightened by the sound of his own gun, and realizing he's out from under the hooded figure, stands and looks at the body, thinks to himself, "Oh sht!", puts one hand on his head and the other on his hip. Holsters his gun and zips his jacket. A man comes out and takes pictures. Zimmerman doesn't try to engage in CPR, instead he stands there with his thumb up his a_ and pities himself. In his mind, he's done nothing wrong. He sees Trayvon's body begin to convulse and assumes he's going to live. Then, becoming afraid, he [according to him and him alone] spreads the young man's arms out so he can make sure he doesn't have a weapon stashed somewhere.

When the police arrive, Trayvon's convulsing body, and some semblance of life causes his arms to come back over the wound in an attempt to keep his lifes blood from spilling on to the cold, wet grass. His last thoughts likely of his family. Police immediately attempt to revive him. Zimmerman worries for himself.

While Trayvon is attempting to get away from zimmerman and trying to get him to let go of the bottom of his shirt on his right side [left side to Zimmerman], he's throwing wild punches, and landing a few punches, but Zimmerman just dodges [thank goodness for frightened reflexes and that years worth of MMA gym training], banging his own head against the concrete in the process, and causing Trayvon to miss, giving Zimms a glancing blow and scraping his knuckle on the sidewalk. Zimmerman has had enough, goes for his gun, and just as he lets go of Trayvons shirt... BLAM!*

Trayvon in shock and disbeleif mouths the words, "You shot me?!" Likely continuing the thought, ...Over a fist fight?!.... Trayvons world goes black and he clutches his chest, falls and begins dying.

Trayvon is still grabbing on to Zimmerman's right cuff trying to get him to let go. Zimmerman still screaming for help. Trayvon has been pulling away from Zimmerman, and Zimmerman, not about to let this f-ing punk a_hole go, just goes right along with the pulls, and the two move down the sidewalk. Trayvon has had enough and punches Zimmerman in the face causing him to stumbel and fall, hitting his own head on the concrete in the process [something he blamnes on Trayvon], and pulling Trayvon over him.

At this point, they've made enough noise that the neighbors have began to notice and a witness named John looks out his condo and see's Trayvon stumbeling over the top of Zimmerman, [accounting for his version of events] throwing wild punches in an attempt to get Zimmerman, a man he doesn't know and has never met who never told him he was part of neighborhood watch, to let him go, and the neighbor see's that and warns he's calling police. Zimmerman is still screaming help, other neighbors have called 911, and chaos ensues inside their homes.

From Trayvon's point of view .. damn, this Ni**a's still followin him. He decides he's not going to be able to avoid this guy; so, he attempts to find out what's going on, "Why you folloin me for?" Holding cell phone, brings it down to his side.

Zimmerman, "What're you doing around here?"

Trayvon "{I'm going home,}Why, you got a problem?"

Zimmerman, "No, I don't have a problem, {you don't belong here. I just called the cops, they're on their way. Come with me."} *Attempts to grab Trayvon* Trayvon drops his phone in the wet grass. Pushes Zimmerman's hand away.

On the other side of this, Trayvon is still talking to Rachel Jeantel. Maybe they're flirting. At some point he notices he's being followed and comments that to Rachel. She asks what he looks like and trayvon answers, a Creepy a_ Cracker. Rachel Jeantel then cautions him that he should be careful cause the guy might be a pervert or a rapist gonna take him away to his dungeon or something, to which Trayvon tells her not to joke around like that. Now HE's getting uncomfortable, but as all young men will do, likely plays it off a little. He decides to try to play it safe and pull back a bit off the sidewalk out of the light and hopes the creepy a_ cracker won't notice him.

Zimmerman at this point is stilll looking for a... "streetsign/address", when he spots the teen. The fact that Trayvon isn't exactly on the path and going somewhere only confirms in Zimmerman's already suspicious mind that this guy is "up to no good." Now's his chance... he starts walking towards Trayvon

Zimmerman wants to be seen dealing with the situation like a professional. So what's he do? He drops the call with dispatch and gives dispatch the impression he's going back to his car, and that the police should meet him there. This is an attempt to alleviate the dispatchers concern about Zimmerman putting himself, and possibly others in harms way. Zimmerman can handle himself you see; he has a federal marshall for a best friend, a years worth of MMA training he's been dying to try out, and a concealed carry permit and the firearm to match. No ahole's gonna commit a crime on HIS watch.

The dispatch hears the acoustics of the call change and asks Zimmerman if he's following the hooded figure to which zimmerman answers yes. The dispatch informs him "We don't need you to do that." In fact, the national neighborhood watch manual, page 22 bottom of page says this in large print: "REMEMBER: Community members only serve as the extra "eyes and ears" of law enforcement. They should report their observations of suspicious activities to law enforcement; however, citizens should never try to take action on those observations. Trained law enforcement should be the only ones ever to take action based on observations of suspicious activities."

Zimmerman has taken not only this training, but training with law enforcement and has law enforcement friends and has taken legal classes.He knows better than to go against this. Yet, he does anyways

Zimmerman wants to make a difference, he wants to look good as a neighborhood watchman, and we know from testimony that he also wants to be a police officer. This is an opportunity for him to show his quality. Keep in mind, he's lived there for 3 years, there are 3 streets in his complex, and he's called police before. If this hooded figure gets away the police might think he's crying wolf for attention. He doesn't want that to happen. He wants to be seen as a credible watchman and officer. He uses the dispatchers request for a street name as an excuse to get out of his car and trail the "suspect" on foot, like a real officer would do. The fact is he could have just as easily accomplished all he wanted to while he stayed in his nice, warm, dry, safe vehicle, but instead risks injury or death to track this hooded figure, who he believes is on drugs.

Trayvong thinks he sees this guy in a vehicle watching him, but not really sure if it's someone in the car or just a headrest. He goes to look in the car, but can't quite see, so he walks around to overcome the glare from a nearby streetlamp. Zimmerman starts telling his own scary stories in his head at this point, filling in the blanks as to why this hooded figure would do this, and thinking the worst. Trayvon Meantime sees it is in fact some dude in a car, decides he'd better beat feet and head for home. At one point even walking back down the original path he took to see if it was all in his head, but noticing the car driving slowly up the street, runs away. After rounding a corner of the complex he decides the guy isn't following him any more, and slows his roll and continues talking to Rachel Jeantel.

There has never been any evidence that Martin was going to procure drugs that night----that's just mere speculation
with NO evidence to back it up. And Rachel Jeantel decided to go to the
trial after she talked to Martin's mother, out of respect for his
parents. So she didn't get thrown under any bus---she got insulted and
belittled by social media who spent more damn time whining about her
size, her speech and her color, instead of actually paying attention to
what the hell she was saying in the trial. "The only people showing her respect were white." Excuse me? White folks dogged her out just as much as black people did, so stop lying. You'e full of it anyway.

There has never been any evidence that Martin was going to procure drugs that night----that's just mere speculation with NO evidence to back it up. And Rachel Jeantel decided to go to the trial after she talked to Martin's mother, out of respect for his parents. So she didn't get thrown under any bus---she got insulted and belittled by social media who spent more damn time whining about her size, her speech and her color, instead of actually paying attention to what the hell she was saying in the trial. "The only people showing her respect were white." Excuse me? White folks dogged her out just as much as black people did, so stop lying. You'e full of it anyway.

Why thank you so much Oracle for giving us a prime example of pseudo-intllectual drivel filled with illusory corelations, hasty generalizations, red herrings, simple prejudice and subtle racism. Thank you as well for showing us a prime example of the mindset of people suffering a cognitive dissonance, and, as well, showing us a prime example of projection. Thank you for showing us the mentality that brought some americans to vote for George Bush Twice against the reality of all available facts.

@brothergrimace That's a pretty good reconstruction. I would only add the following.

I believe Trayvon made it to the back porch of his dad's girlfriend's condo. When he first ran, his call to Rachel cut off, and when she called him back, she asked him if he was still running, and said no because he was already there. Trayvon couldn't get in, though, because he didn't have keys and Chad Joseph, his dad's girlfriend's son, was wearing headphones and couldn't hear him knocking.

Trayvon didn't really mind that much. He was talking to Rachel on the phone, so he sat outside, chilling and talking. Then, Rachel testified, a couple of minutes later, Trayvon told her that there was that man again. Where did Zimmerman come from? Since Trayvon moved North, from his dad's girlfriend's condo towards the T, Zimmerman had to have come from the South. Here's what happened.

When Zimmerman reached Retreat View Circle, he didn't stop there. He walked South on RVC towards the back entrance. Once he got there, not finding Trayvon, he decided to loop back by walking North on the footpath between the condos. Since he hadn't seen Trayvon leave through the back entrance, he figured he must be hiding somewhere on the footpath. And so he spotted Trayvon on Brandi Green's back porch, and Travyon spotted him as well.

The two moved North, and about 40 feet from the T, Trayvon stopped, turned, and asked why Zimmerman was following him. The rest I believe proceeded just as you put it. Good work.

Any court case is like one of those old math word problems we had in school; without the math, which you may read as evidence, all you have is a bunch of words and a problem. Remember to show your work, because there will be a test later on how you came to your conclusions. Solve for ∆

Self-Defense- ∆ reasonably believes he is about to be attacked and may use reasonable force. (most states require retrieval if can be done before using deadly force, defense not available to initial aggressors, reasonable mistake allowed).

@brothergrimace Of course not, but evidence in a trial is what is evaluated, and I was trying to distinguish with brackets between evidence and my observations. In a trial, when there is reasonable evidence favoring the prosecution and opposing reasonable evidence favoring the defendant, then the jury must choose the evidence that favors the defendant. That is how reasonable doubt works, giving the defendant the presumption of innocence. In research papers, for example, all data must be evaluated by checking the assumptions and the methods. I am usually savvy.

And you're good at pretending data and a full accounting of the facts are one in the same. It isn't that my words are too big it's that the people who think they're too big have minds too small to understand them. Sworn testimony also does not equal truth, nor does a taped interview. Savvy?

@brothergrimace Only the words in brackets [] were not in sworn testimony. The words in brackets were from reading/watching the media and from research online. The words not brackets were from sworn testimony. You are good with the $50 words when you are steamed.

As my grandfather used to say, "You can't charge $50 if you don't use $50 words. But the absence of $50 words don't mean a thought is not valid. Ask "Rachel Jeantel.

Zimmerman didn't receive "critical, life-threatening injuries." He got a couple goose-eggs and grossly over-reacted. Zimmerman also didn't "stop to talk to" anyone as he made his way back to his vehicle; he wasn't going back to his vehicle. Zimmerman was looking for an "unrecognized individual" that fit the mold he'd formed in his mind. In fact, he'd made no move to avoid the "unrecognized individual" at all; instead, he put himself in a position to be noticed. Had Zimmerman wanted to avoid contact and risk altogether he would've driven around to the nearest streetsign or flashed his high-beams on the nearest home address. However, it's important to remember that the name of the street he was on, the name of the street his own home was on, was a street named, "Retreat View Circle." He'd lived on that street since 2009. Mommy, what does a circle do?

Truthfully, Zimmerman wanted to be seen, wanted the neighborhood watch's presence to be felt, and wanted his authority recognized. These "a holes" that always got away were entirely too bold, too brash, and too confident of their impunity. Zimmerman wantedto put a stop to that; send a message. The residents of The Retreat at Twin Lakes would not be victimized! Zimmerman pursued Trayvon Martin to make sure of that.

As far as the women's jewlery, the costume jewlery, ever hear of Steampunk? Google these 3 words... Steampunk, jewlery, images. Steampunk is a style of dress and a cosplay phenomina that combines the victorian era and it's period dress with steam engineering that has a heavy showing of gears and automatons. As mechanically inclined as Trayvon was I wouldn't be suprised in the least if he were going to make some steampunk jewelry for one of his girlfirneds. For that he would need gears, glue or epoxy, some costume jewelery and a design. Believe it or not it's actually quite lovely, and I should know, I worked in a jewlery store for 3 1/2 years

The speculation around the jewelery, watch, gun, and screwdriver are also based heavily in stereotpye. These images when speculated on only add to the prejudiced persons stereotypical view of the thuggish black person. Hasty generalizations are nasty common argument fallacies because they judge one person or many people based on the experiences , oftennegative, of the few who commit to controversial acts. The screwdriver, watch and jewlery are easily explained if you did as much research on Trayvon Martin as a person rather than your target. The screwdriver would have been used to open the man's watch to change the battery and/or get to the gears. Why would Trayvon want to get to the gears? You were aware that he was an aspiring airplane mechanic correct? A gearhead. Someone deeply interested in the inner workings, or mechanics if you will, of items.

Do you know the difference between a fact and data? A fact is inclusive of many different bits of data. Data is a simple and often incomplete bit of information that exists within a fact. You have produced data, rather than facts. The fact is, George Zimmerman did not shoot an entire unarmed race of people. He shot a single young man who, by all accounts, was doing nothing wrong when Zimmerman pursued him. The fact is, Trayvon Martin did not approach Zimmerman, Zimmerman approached Martin. But more than that you are taking other's skewed data and in some cases entirely contrived data and making it sound reasonable. The subject of "Lean" and "Purple Drank" for examples, are, or at least were, entirley fictitious concotions specifically designed to sound to untrained ears when spoken like something a black person might intoxicate themselves with. It is a myth based on reality which makes it even harder to debunk. The fact is, for years, young teens have been getting intoxicated by drinking cough syrup, and racists used that truth to create this myth mixed with a readily available black stereotype... Trayvon Martin's watermelon Ice tea. Which, by the way, alongside your cherry picked data, is particularly offensive.

You're an ignorant racist idiot. First of all, Martin didn't know who the hell Zimmerman was---all he knew was that this strange man was following him home. Martin had every right to stand HIS ground because Zimmerman was to stupid to identify himself AS a neighborhood watch member, which would have kept that whole incident from even happening. Having a gun did NOT give Zimmerman the right to do whatever the hell he wanted in the name of protecting the neighborhood. Also, what kind of idiot walks up on somebody and tackles them from behind,especially when he hasn't seen this person do a damn thing except walking around? I wish people would stop making excuses for that sorry excuse of a man (Zimmerman) and admit that he himself made some very stupid choices which resulted in Martin's death---after all, HE was the one who went after Martin first. He profiled Martin from the get-go and assumed he was a "thug" based on nothing more than his hoodie and the fact that he was a young black male--now THAT was racist.

"You are more likely to be Helped by a white person rather than killed by one."

Oh,really? Try telling that to the people who were shot, wounded or killed by these psychotic school shooters (Columbine, Newtown,Virginia Tech,the Colorado Theatre) MOST of whom are white males,BTW.

Unless you live in a cave--black people have been outraged by AND fighting against black-on-black crime for years. Obviously you didn't know that or even bother to find that out, which is why your assumptions come off as basically uninformed and just plain clueless. You could found that out in 2 seconds by doing a quick search of the subject. And I really don't give a damn how many black friends your boy George had, he's still a racist. White folks find this hard to wrap their heads around, but you can have plenty of black friends or friends of color and STILL be racist as hell,particularly if they don't call you on it. And his family was racist as hell, according to his cousin. And,hell no, Martin didn't deserve to die simply because some wanna-be cop decided to profile and stalk him. Oh, and since Georgie boy was taking these self-defense classes at the time, why the hell couldn't he just stop fighting Martin,then leave him alone? Apparently he wasn't that good at self-defense to begin with, or he wouldn't have gotten his behind kicked in the first place! I don't buy Zimmerman's story that Martin just punching on him out of nowhere. I believe,based on what Jeantel said, that Zimmerman jumped on Martin first, and Martin was just defending himself from this crazy fool who was jumping on him for no reason that he could see! Also, Zimmerman wasn't a policeman or security guard--he had NO authority whatsoever to try and apprehend anybody anyway,so what the hell did he think he was doing? He also has a long police record of starting violent incidents with other people, so why the hell is it so hard to believe that he could have started the fight with Martin. Even some of his co-workers said he had a nasty temper, which cost him at least one job:

@theOracle@brothergrimaceI was wondering...What's "Lean"? What's "Purple Drank"? Have you seen Trayvon's texts & MySpace messages? I have. Have you seen his Cell phone pictures?--Of the jewelry on the bed & the picture of the gun on his phone? I did. Did you hear about the high school security guard that found a bag with women's rings/earrings & a screwdriver in Trayvon's back pack? I did. What do you think about these things? None of these things came out in the trial. Trayvon was protected in that way.

I personally don't care if Trayvon was a thug or not. That's irrelevant. Trayvon was apparently beating someone up & got shot in the process--That's a terrible tragedy.(Uummm...George also had the right to be where HE was without getting his head beat in. That's a fact. )

Anyway, what about the fact that 93% of black people are KILLED by black people? I think our focus is off. Where's the outrage about all These killings? Why does the outrage Only happen when a white/hispanic kills a black person. Isn't the person just as dead??? The outrage should have started a long time ago to Stop the killing of black by Blacks. Come on...Get Mad about That how about it?

Because of the odds, it seems that you should be VERY afraid of black people because odds are, that's who you are 93% likely to be killed by. Let's look at the figures & decide who needs to be afraid of whom. Black people should statistically be afraid of Black people, but they're not. Black people seem to be more afraid of whites, but that makes No statistical sense...That's an emotional thing--being afraid of something unfamiliar.

You are personally not very likely to be killed by a white person OR a hispanic OR an asian OR an indian...You are Statistically VERY likey to be murdered by a Black person. Isn't it Statistically Obvious who you should be wary of? You are more likely to be Helped by a white person rather than killed by one.

I hope you can find it within yourself to put away the myths & look intently into the statistics to decide where the danger to you lies.

Also...I know some things about George Zimmerman. Did you know that he was raised with black children in his home? I did. Did you know that he took a black young lady to his prom? I did. Did you know that George was instrumental in getting White police officers prosecuted for the beating of a homeless Black man (when No One Else was doing Anything about it)? I did. Were you aware that Mr. Zimmerman was mentoring 2 black youths & continued even after the program was terminated? I was. Did you know that George & his wife were some of the only people to welcome new residents into the neighborhood--including welcoming black people? I did. Did you see the testimony of the black neighbor who talked about what a good friend George was to her? I did. Look into these things too.

You seem to be a pretty reasonable & thoughtful person. Maybe after looking more closely at all the facts, you will have a change of heart concerning this particular incident & help people focus on the reality of the real danger to young black men---which is Other young black men. Thanks for your video post. It was very interesting.

@theOracle@brothergrimaceI was wondering...What's "Lean"? What's "Purple Drank"? Have you seen Trayvon's texts & MySpace messages? I have. Have you seen his Cell phone pictures?--Of the jewelry on the bed & the picture of the gun on his phone? I did. Did you hear about the high school security guard that found a bag with women's rings/earrings & a screwdriver in Trayvon's back pack? I did. What do you think about these things? None of these things came out in the trial. Trayvon was protected in that way.

I personally don't care if Trayvon was a thug or not. That's irrelevant. Trayvon was apparently beating someone up & got shot in the process--That's a terrible tragedy.(Uummm...George also had the right to be where HE was without getting his head beat in. That's a fact. )

Anyway, what about the fact that 93% of black people are KILLED by black people? I think our focus is off. Where's the outrage about all These killings? Why does the outrage Only happen when a white/hispanic kills a black person. Isn't the person just as dead??? The outrage should have started a long time ago to Stop the killing of black by Blacks. Come on...Get Mad about That how about it?

Because of the odds, it seems that you should be VERY afraid of black people because odds are, that's who you are 93% likely to be killed by. Let's look at the figures & decide who needs to be afraid of whom. Black people should statistically be afraid of Black people, but they're not. Black people seem to be more afraid of whites, but that makes No statistical sense...That's an emotional thing--being afraid of something unfamiliar.

You are personally not very likely to be killed by a white person OR a hispanic OR an asian OR an indian...You are Statistically VERY likey to be murdered by a Black person. Isn't it Statistically Obvious who you should be wary of? You are more likely to be Helped by a white person rather than killed by one.

I hope you can find it within yourself to put away the myths & look intently into the statistics to decide where the danger to you lies.

Also...I know some things about George Zimmerman. Did you know that he was raised with black children in his home? I did. Did you know that he took a black young lady to his prom? I did. Did you know that George was instrumental in getting White police officers prosecuted for the beating of a homeless Black man (when No One Else was doing Anything about it)? I did. Were you aware that Mr. Zimmerman was mentoring 2 black youths & continued even after the program was terminated? I was. Did you know that George & his wife were some of the only people to welcome new residents into the neighborhood--including welcoming black people? I did. Did you see the testimony of the black neighbor who talked about what a good friend George was to her? I did. Look into these things too.

You seem to be a pretty reasonable & thoughtful person. Maybe after looking more closely at all the facts, you will have a change of heart concerning this particular incident & help people focus on the reality of the real danger to young black men---which is Other young black men. Thanks for your video post. It was very interesting.

@theOracle@brothergrimace I was wondering...What's "Lean"? What's "Purple Drank"? Have you seen Trayvon's texts & MySpace messages? I have. Have you seen his Cell phone pictures?--Of the jewelry on the bed & the picture of the gun on his phone? I did. Did you hear about the high school security guard that found a bag with women's rings/earrings & a screwdriver in Trayvon's back pack? I did. What do you think about these things? None of these things came out in the trial. Trayvon was protected in that way.

I personally don't care if Trayvon was a thug or not. That's irrelevant. Trayvon was apparently beating someone up & got shot in the process--That's a terrible tragedy.(Uummm...George also had the right to be where HE was without getting his head beat in. That's a fact. )

Anyway, what about the fact that 93% of black people are KILLED by black people? I think our focus is off. Where's the outrage about all These killings? Why does the outrage Only happen when a white/hispanic kills a black person. Isn't the person just as dead??? The outrage should have started a long time ago to Stop the killing of black by Blacks. Come on...Get Mad about That how about it?

Because of the odds, it seems that you should be VERY afraid of black people because odds are, that's who you are 93% likely to be killed by. Let's look at the figures & decide who needs to be afraid of whom. Black people should statistically be afraid of Black people, but they're not. Black people seem to be more afraid of whites, but that makes No statistical sense...That's an emotional thing--being afraid of something unfamiliar.

You are personally not very likely to be killed by a white person OR a hispanic OR an asian OR an indian...You are Statistically VERY likey to be murdered by a Black person. Isn't it Statistically Obvious who you should be wary of? You are more likely to be Helped by a white person rather than killed by one.

I hope you can find it within yourself to put away the myths & look intently into the statistics to decide where the danger to you lies.

Also...I know some things about George Zimmerman. Did you know that he was raised with black children in his home? I did. Did you know that he took a black young lady to his prom? I did. Did you know that George was instrumental in getting White police officers prosecuted for the beating of a homeless Black man (when No One Else was doing Anything about it)? I did. Were you aware that Mr. Zimmerman was mentoring 2 black youths & continued even after the program was terminated? I was. Did you know that George & his wife were some of the only people to welcome new residents into the neighborhood--including welcoming black people? I did. Did you see the testimony of the black neighbor who talked about what a good friend George was to her? I did. Look into these things too.

You seem to be a pretty reasonable & thoughtful person. Maybe after looking more closely at all the facts, you will have a change of heart concerning this particular incident & help people focus on the reality of the real danger to young black men---which is Other young black men. Thanks for your video post. It was very interesting.

Wow, you ARE dimwitted. TRACY Martin WAS home late. That has been established. Trayvon was considered missing around 8:30 when Trayvon's future stepbrother, by his dad's fiance, missed him. Getting it now? It doesn't matter that Tracy Martin wasn't home until AFTER 2:30am. The future stepbrother had gone to sleep and was oblivious to what was going on outside. Following along now? His father, coming home as late as he was was also likely oblivious until the next day because he probably went to bed. As I said, he probably figured his son had taken advantage of him and stayed out all night when he father had told him to go to the store and then come back home. The kid was after all a TEENAGER. Teenagers are known for disobeying their parents.

The "investigation" *snicker* was going on BEHIND their house, and they drove up along the front of their condo and entered their home from the street there. And where did you come up with the 2:30am number as far as how long the police stayed there?

As well Oracle, what on earth ever gave you the impression I came up with the reconstruction I did to defend his dad?! This isn't about his dad, or his stepmom, or his fiance, or mom... it's about Trayvon defending himself and the lies Zimmerman told.

ok... Stepmom says herself her and Trayvon's dad were having problems. Is it possible that because they were having problems Tracy Martin found solutions elsewhere? But then, even if not, we do not damn the son for the sins of the father ;) And Trayvon WAS missed after 8:30, by Trayvon's soon to be stepbrother. Tracy probably figured his son had taken advantage of him and stayed out all night. Then when he heard about the shooting, he got that sick feeling in his gut. Filanderer or no, he was his father.

Was stepmom dissed? Oh hell yes, was she orf Rachel Jeantel thrown under the bus? HIGHLY doubtful. Do I suspect Crump of manipulation. Sure. That has no baring on the actual evidence in the case. And stepmom was an excellent witness even if "fiance" wasn't ;)

@RobertSF@brothergrimace I saw some interesting clips of local Sanford news clips and interviews in the early days after the shooting happened. Have you seen the "fiance" talking to a reporter? She clearly stats TM made it back to the porch. The odd thing is that Tracey Martin didn't call police until the next day to file a missing person's report for TM. He said that TM was missed after 8:30 pm, but if you read between the lines, it seems that they didn't come home until after 2:30 am because they obviously miised all the Police activity in the walkway behind their home. Also, Anderson Cooper interview the actual Step-Mother in Miami. She, like RJ, was thrown under the bus by the parents' attorney, and was not allowed to sit with the family at TM's funeral. The "fiance" was apparently Tracey's fooling around on the Step-Mother, and certainly was a worse "witness" than RJ, because she blew the "good son, good father" scenario.